1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a detergent composition which can favorably be used as a shampoo, skin cleanser, and the like, and more particularly, to a detergent composition which can produce fine, slippery, creamy foam. It imparts the least irritation to the skin and hair, and, at the same time, a tense, slippery feeling to the hair, and a light, smooth feeling to the skin.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventional detergents such as shampoos contain anionic surface active agents, e.g. alkyl sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl sulfate, as their major components. Such anionic surface active agents, however, are known to damage the skin and the hair, since the hair and horny layers to be washed are made up of keratinous protein which are liable to be denatured by anionic surface active agents.
Nonionic type shampoos has been introduced as a product which cause less damages to the hair (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 13609/1978). Polyoxyethylene sorbitan ester (TWEEN) and alkyl glycoside are proposed as nonionic surface active agents used in the shampoo. The foam produced by nonionic surface active agents, however, is not necessarily sufficient in terms of both the amount and the quality. That is to say, the foam is coarse and less slippery. Alkylsaccharides are known as nonionic surfactants having better foaming capability. The foam, however, does not satisfy the basic quality requirements, imparting a creaky feeling upon use. Alkylsaccharides thus are not necessarily satisfactory surface active agents for shampoos and body shampoos.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide, with due consideration to the drawbacks of such conventional shampoos and the like, a detergent composition which imparts the least damages to the skin and produces fine, smooth, slippery foam.